Display device



Aug. 6, 1957 DISPLAY DEVICE s Sheet-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 26, 1955 PEPE/wen87-! i 88 o M 4 WH AWN 9 o e 9 2 8 9 I) 3 f a m .J N 5 5 r 6, m a w a a1 ml? E W S E M How/m0 I- Gamer/v,

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Filed Ot. 26, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet s a? 54 v Y 6 INVENTORS: 8 How/v20l-Cbroemaml E .PoYLYELvEM'oM- ATTORNEYS United States Patent Cfiice2,801,482 Patented Aug. 6, 1957 DISPLAY DEVICE Howard I. Goforth,Lexington, and Roy L Yelverton, Raleigh, N. C.; said Yelverton assignorto said Goforth Application October 2 6, 1955, Serial No. 542,908 7Claims. (Cl. 40-126) This invention relates to display apparatuses and,more especially, to a motor actuated construction for displayingfacsimiles or replicas of containers, such as milk cartons, frozen foodcontainers or other similar types of commodity containers.

Attempts have been made to produce display devices which are actuated byremote control means to automatically raise and lower an object and thenstop the object in lowered position, and to actuate an advertisingmessage repeater during movement of the object. A device of this type isdisclosed in the pending application of John J. Geel, Serial No.396,634, filed December 7, 1953, and entitled Mechanical DisplayApparatus, all right and title to which is owned by Howard 1. Goforth,one of the inventors of the apparatus disclosed in the presentapplication. However, such devices have not been entirely satisfactorybecause of the large number of parts used and the space required toaccommodate the parts.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel displayapparatus of the aforementioned type which is of compact, economicalconstruction and performs smoothly, and wherein all of the operatingparts thereof, with the exception of the message repeater, but includingthe dynamic speaker of the message repeater may be positioned within acontainer of, say, the size and shape of a quart-size milk carton, forexample.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved articledisplay apparatus which is particularly designed for the display of milkcartons and the like and which includes a vertically reciprocableelevator mounted on an upright framework onto which the open lower endof an empty carton'is secured in such manner that the frameworksupporting said elevator and the motor for driving the elevator arehoused within the display carton when the carton is in lowered position.The improved apparatus also includes a dynamic speaker and electric lamppositioned above the elevator on a stationary platform, both of whichare housed in the display carton, but which carton permits sound andlight to be emitted therethrough to attract attention to the devicewhile the elevator is being reciprocated by the motor.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which--' Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe improved display device showing the carton in lowered positionwherein it substantially encloses all parts of the display device;

Figure 2 is a diagram of the electrical circuit of the improved displaydevice;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the improved display device with partsbroken away for purposes of clarity;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the improved display device looking atthe right side of Figure 3 with portions broken away for purposes ofclarity;

1 Figure S'is a sectional plan view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a front elevation on a reduced scale with the carton andelevator skirt for supporting the same and the drive unit housingremoved for purposes of clarity;

Figure 7 is a rear elevation similar to Figure 3 but showing the cartonin an elevated position just after reaching its uppermost limit.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 (Figure 7)broadly indicates an elevator comprising a platform 11 having a cut-outportion or recess 11a (Figure 5) defined by platform end portions 12 and13. The platform 11 is mounted for vertical reciprocation on a pair ofupright posts 14 and 15 which are secured at their upper ends bysuitable means such as set screws 16 to a stationary upper platform 20.The lower ends of the posts 14 and 15 are fixed in a base 21. Theplatform 20 is provided with a rectangular cut-out portion 22 in whichis positioned a pulley 23 journaled on a shaft 24 suitably secured tothe stationary upper platform 20 and on which pulley 23 the upperportion of an endless bear chain or pliable endless element 25 ispositioned for imparting reciprocation to the elevator 10 as will belater described. The lower portion of the chain or pliable element 25 ispositioned on a pulley 26 suitably secured to a shaft 27 of reversibleelectric motor 30. The motor 30 is suitably secured to the verticalflange of an L-shaped bracket 31 by screws 32. The bracket 31 issuitably secured to the base 21 by screws 33 to maintain the motor shaft27 in proper tically extending apertures 29 through which opposedreaches of the chain 25-loosely extend. Suitable means such as a setscrew 34 penetrates the platform 11 to securely engage a portion of thechain extending through one of the apertures 29 to cause the platform 11to move with the chain 25. As will be observed in Figure 7, the reach ofthe chain 25 remote from the set screw 34 is free to move upwardly anddownwardly through its aperture 29 as the elevator is automaticallyraised and lowered by the motor 30.

A-dynamic speaker 35-is secured to the lower surface of the upperstationary platform 20, as by screws 36, and light 40, of sufi'icientintensity to emit light through a waxed paperboard carton or container Ccarried by the elevator 10, is mounted on the upper surface of the staasshown in Figure 7, to its lowered position, as shown in Figure 3, asubstantially upright trip rod 41 is provided for reversing thedirection of rotation of the motor 30 (Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7). Thetrip rod 41 loosely penetrates the movable platform 11 and its upper endis. loosely received in an aperture 43 provided in thestationaryplatform 20. The lower end of rod 41 is loosely received in anaperture 42 provided in the base 21 as shown in Figures 5 and 7. Spacedupper and lower collars or abutments 44. 45 are fixedly secured to theupper and lower portions of the trip rod 41. The collars 44, 45, areadapted to be engaged by the upper and lower surfaces, respectively ofthe movable platform switch R to an upper or lower position. The tripplate 50 has its free end encircling the trip rod 41 between a pair ofspaced and fixed washers 46 to move a contact 3 52 (Figure 2)insulatably secured to the trip plate 50 selectively in or out ofengagement with contacts 53 and 54 to reverse or change the flow ofcurrent in the motor 30.

A conventional U-shaped lock spring 51 is provided on the trip plate 59for alternately maintaining the contact 52 in engagement with thecontacts 53, 54 after the platform 11 moves out of engagement with therespective collars 44, 45. As will be observed in Figure 7, upon theelevator being moved to its uppermost position, the upper surface of theplatform 11 engages the collar 44 to elevate the trip rod 41 to move thetrip. plate 50 upwardly and the contact 52 downwardly out of engagementwith contact 53 andinto engagement with contact 54 to reverse the flowof current through the motor 30 as will be later described. It should benoted that movement of the trip plate 50 in one direction impartsmovement to the contact 52 in an opposite direction. The lock spring 51for the trip plate 50 holds the contact 52 in engagement with thecontact 54 while the elevator 10 descends from an elevated position,substantially as shown in Figure 7, to the lowermost position shown inFigure 3.

To maintain the carton C on the elevator 10 while the elevator isreciprocating, a housing or skirt 60 encircles the platform 11 and hasupturned lower ends or flanges 61 in which the lower edges of the openbottom of the carton are received. The skirt or housing 60 is secured tothe movable platform 11, by any suitable means such as screws 62penetrating the platform 11 adjacent the chain and by screws 64-penetrating the sides of the platform end portions 12 and 13. To enclosethe motor and the other components in the lower portion of the displaydevice and to hide the same from view when the elevator is in raisedposition (Figure 7 a drive unit housing 65 encircles the lower portionof the device and is suitably secured, as by screws 66, to the base 21.It will be observed in Figure 3 that the container-supporting skirt 65is of a larger size than the drive unit housing 60 so as totelescopically receive the drive unit housing 60 when the elevator 10 islowered.

A cam-like projection or finger 70, extending from the lower surface ofthe elevator 10 and having a smoothly curved portion 70a (Figure 7), isprovided for breaking the circuit to the motor 30 upon the elevator 10being returned to its lowered position (Figure 3). The projection 70engages a switching plate or lever 71, of a start-and-stop switch S,provided with a conventional locking spring 75 for moving a contact 72out of engagement with a contact 73 and into engagement with a contact74 to open the circuit as will be observed in Figure 3. The reversingswitch R is insulatably secured on the base 21 and has an angle clip 76insulatably mounted thereon which insulatably supports the switch S.

In Figure 2 is shown an electrical circuit for the device wherein asuitable conductor plug 80 has main conductors 81, 82 connected thereto,the conductor 81 leading to one side of a field coil 3 in the motor 30and the conductor 82 leading to the contact 73 which contact is normallyin engagement with the contact 72 when the elevator 10 is moving.Conductors 83 and 86 complete the circuit from the contact 72 to theother side of the field coil 1 of the motor 30. A message repeater 85 isconnected in the motor circuit by conductors 86, 84 and to which messagerepeaterSS is connected the dynamic speaker by conductors 87, 88. Thelight positioned on the upper stationary platform 20 is connected incircuit by conductors 90, 91. Suitable conductors 92, 93 connect anormally open switch 76 in the circuit to the contacts 72, 74 which arenormally out of engagement with each other during the movement of theelevator 10.

For reversing the direction of rotation of the motor 30, shade orreversing coils u and d are provided to which are secured respectiveconductors 95 and 94 having their other ends secured to the respectivecontacts 53, 54. The

contact 52 is connected, by the conductor 96, to the field coil f tocomplete the circuit for the shade coils u and d.

In normal operation of the device, the flat portion a of the projection70 would initially be in engagement with the switching lever 71 to holdthe contact 72 (Figures 2 and 3), by means of the locking spring 75, inengagement with the contact 74. In this position, when the switch 76,which is placed in a conspicuous place on the floor, is stepped upon toclose the same, the circuit will be completed to energize the motor 30.At this instant, the circuit is closed to simultaneously energize themessage repeater 85, the speaker 35, and the light 40 and the elevatorstarts to move upwardly, since the shade coil u, which controls rotationof the motor 30 for imparting upward movement to the elevator 10, isenergized by engagement of contacts 52 and 53.

Upon the elevator 10 moving a slight distance upwardly the projection 70moves out of engagement with the switching lever 71 to permit thelocking spring to move the contact 72 into engagement with the contact73 (Figure 2) to thus complete a circuit to the motor 30 by bypassingthe normally open switch 76. Upon the elevator 10 reaching its uppermostposition the upper surface of the elevator contacts the collar 44 oftrip rod 41 to move the trip plate 50 upwardly, to move the contact 52downwardly out of engagement with the contact 53 and into engagementwith the contact 54, and to change the direction of rotation of themotor 30 by switching the current from the coil u to coil d. Upon theelevator 10 returning to its normal lowered position the lower surfaceof the movable platform 11 engages the collar 45 on the trip rod 41 tomove the trip plate 50 downwardly, to move the contact 52 upwardly outof engagement with the contact 54 and into engagement with the contact53, and to close the circuit to the coil u in preparation for the nextupward movement of the elevator 10.

Upon the elevator 10 returning to its lowered position, the projection70 extending from the lower surface of the movable platform 11 willagain engage the switching plate 71 to move the contact 72 out ofengagement with the contact 73 and into engagement with the contact 74to stop the device, since the trip switch 76 in circuit therewith willnow normally be open. This completes the operation of the automaticreciprocation of the elevator 10.

The reversible electric motor 30 may be of any desired construction andis shown in Figure 2 as being an inductance type motor provided with thefield coil 1 and the pair of reversing or shade coils a and u. When thecoil 1 is energized, the coils d and u are selectively energized throughinductance in the usual manner.

It is thus seen that there is provided a novel arrangement of a housing65 for encircling, and hiding from view, the motor 30, thestart-and-stop switch S, the reversing switch R and associated partsduring vertical movement of the container facsimile C and wherein thecontainer is so supported on the elevator 10 as to telescope over thedrive unit housing 65, thereby providing a neat appearing and compactdisplay device and in which ample room is provided to accommodate acommercially available type of dynamic speaker and a lamp forilluminating a translucent container facsimile of the approximate sizeof a quart-size milk carton.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

We claim:

1. An improved display device comprising a base, vertically positionedguide rods secured to said base, an elevator mounted for reciprocatorymovement on said guide rods, a reversible electric motor mounted on saidasoncsa base, a stationary platform secured to the upper end of saidguide rods, a first pulley supported by said platform, a second pulleyprovided on the end of the shaft of said electric motor, an endlesselement connecting said pulleys, means securing one reach of saidendless element to the elevator so as to move the elevator therewith,means for automatically reversing said elevator upon the same reachingits uppermost position, and means for automatically stopping saidelevator upon returning to its lowermost position.

2. A device according to claim 1 where n said elevator is provided witha skirt depending therefrom and encircling the same with upturned lowerend portions for receiving the open end of a container for supportingthe same during reciprocatory movement of said elevator.

3. An improved display device comprising a base, ve tically positionedguide rods secured to said base, an elevator mounted for reciprocatorymovement on said guide rods, a reversible electric motor mounted on saidbase and having its shaft extending between said guide rods, stationaryplatform secured to the upper ends of said guide rods, a first pulleysupported by said pl orrn, a second pulley provided on the end of theshaft of said electric motor, an endless element connecting saidpulleys, means securing one reach of said endless element to theelevator so as to move the elevator therewith, a first housing securedto the base enclosing the motor and the lower portions of the guiderods, a second housing secured to said elevator and telescopicallyreceiving said first housing, the second housing having means forsecuring the lower open end of a display container thereon, means forautomatically reversing said elevator upon the some reaching itsuppermost position, and means for automatically stopping said elevatorupon returning to its lowermost position.

4. An improved display device comprising a base, vertically positionedguide rods secured to said base, an elevator mounted for reciprocatorymovement on said guide rods, a reversible electric motor mounted on saidbase and having its shaft extending between said guide rods, astationary platform secured to the upper end of said guide rods, a firstpulley supported by said platform, a second pulley provided on the endof the shaft of said electric motor, an endless element connecting saidpulleys, means securing one reach of said endless element to theelevator so as to move the elevator therewith, a first housing securedto said base and enclosing the lower side portions of the device, asecond housing secured to the elevator and telescopically receiving thefirst housing when the elevator is in lowered position, means providedadjacent the lower end of the second housing for retaining a displaycontainer thereon in upright position to be simultaneously moved withthe elevator, means for auton'iatically reversing said elevator upon thesame reaching its uppermost position, and means for automaticallystopping said elevator upon returning to its lowermost position.

5. An improved display device comprising a base, an elevator supportingframework secured to said base, an elevator mounted for verticalmovement on said framework, a skirt surrounding said elevator anddepending downwardly therefrom, said skirt havin upwardly turned loweredges adapted to receive the open end of a container for supporting thesame during movement of the elevator, a reversible electric motormounted on said base and having a shaft extending between said elevatorsupporting framework, a pulley mounted on the end of said motor shaft, astationary platform secured to the upper end of said elevator supportingframework, a pulley supported by said stationary platform, a pliableendless element connecting said pulleys together, means connecting onereach of the endless element to the elevator, said motor having a fieldcoil, and first and second shade coils,

a manually operable normally open first switch interposed in anelectrical circuit to said field coil, a reversing switch interposed inan electrical circuit to said shade coils and having means forcompleting a circuit to the first shade coil for driving said elevatorin one direction to elevate the container positioned thereon and meansengageable by said elevator as it approaches raised position for movingsaid reversing switch to complete the circuit to the second shade coilto reverse the direction of rotation of said motor and to return theelevator to lowered position.

6. An improved display device comprising a base, an elevator supportingframework secured to said base, an elevator mounted for verticalmovement on said framework, a housing surrounding said elevator anddepending downwardly t erefrom, said housing having means to receive theopen end of a container for supporting the sat. e during movement of theelevator, a reversible electric motor mounted on said base and having ashaft extending between said elevator supporting framework, 2. firstpulley mounted on the end of said motor shaft, a stationary platformsecured to the upper end of said elevator supporting framework, a secondpulley supported by said stationary platform, a pliable endless elementconnecting said pulleys together, said elevator having a pair of spacedapertures therein to receive opposite reaches of the endless element,means penetrating one of the apertures to con. set one reach of theendless element to the elevator, said motor having a field coil andfirst and second shade coils, a manually operable normally open firstswitch interpose in an electrical circuit to said shade coils and havingmeans for completing a circuit to the first shade coil for driving saidelevator in one direction to elevate the container positioned thereon,means engageable by said elevator as it approaches raised position formoving said reversing switch to complete the circuit to the second shadecoil to reverse the direction of rotation of said motor and to returnthe elevator to lowered position.

7. An improved display device comprising a base, an upright frameworksecured to said base, a platform mounted for vertical movement on saidframework, a housing surrounding said platform and depending downwardlytherefrom, said housing having upwardly turned lower ends adapted toreceive the open end of a container for supporting the same duringmovement of the platform, a reversible electric motor mounted on saidbase and having a shaft extending therefrom horizontally to said base, afirst pulley mounted on the end of said motor shaft, a stationaryplatform secured to the upper end of said upright framework, a secondpulley supported by said stationary platform, a pliable endless elementconnecting said pulleys together, means operatively connecting one reachof said endless element to said movable platform, said motor having afield coil and first and second shade coils, a manually operablenormally open first switch interposed in an electrical circuit to saidfield coil, a reversing switch interposed in an electrical circuit tosaid shade coils and having means for completing a circuit to the firstshade coil for driving said movable platform in one direction to elevatethe container positioned thereon, means engageable by said elevator asit approaches raised position for moving said reversing switch tocomplete the circuit to the second shade coil to reverse the directionof rotation of said motor and to return the movable platform to loweredposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

